Railway signal-torpedo and method of making the same.



-F. DUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1918.

1,296,492. Patented Mar. 4,1919.

Furs/es cu, rnomuma" wasnmcruu u c FRANK DUTCHER, 0F VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CENTRAL RAILWAY= SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENN-sYLvANIA A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY SIGNAL-TORPEDO AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 18, 1918. Serial No. 258,714.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DUTCHER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal- Torpedoes and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyin drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes and the method of making them, and the invention pertains to the fibrous or non-flying type of torpedo made in circular flat form.

The primary object of the invention. is to make a torpedo case of a paper ring and to form the top and bottom of the case of disks fitting tightly within the ring, with the explosive compound between the disks.

A further object of the invention pertains to the manner of forming an inwardly extending bur on opposite edges ofthe ring to form supports for the top and bottom disks of the case. 7

Another feature of the invention pertains to the manner of forming first an inwardly extending peripheral bur on the edges of the ring to form supports for the top and bottom disks of the case, and then further flattening inward the said bur to widen it to increase its supporting strength for the top and bottom disks of the case.

Referring now to the drawings Figure 1 is a top perspective view of my improved torpedo, showing it in place upon a railroad rail.

. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the torpedo shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View through one edge of the torpedo to more clearly show the extended peripheral bur of the ring of the case.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the several parts forming the torpedo case and also the explosive, the said parts being shown in separated relation.

Fig. 5 is a view of one end of a paper or fiber tube from which the rings of the cases are out, which is the first step in the method of making the torpedo case.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the rings after it is sawed or cut from the tube, showing the inwardly extending peripheral bur, and the bottom disk being placed in position within the ring.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a paper or fiber ring 1, a disk 2, fitting within the ring to form the top of the torpedo case, and a disk3 fitting within the ring and forming the bottom of the torpedo case. The explosive 4 is placed between the two said disks, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

I preferably attach the rail-engaging strap 5 to the torpedo case. by a third disk -6, which is below the bottom disk 3, which disk 6 is provided with openings 7 through which the rail-engaging strap 5 is threaded, as shown in Fig. 2. Although I prefer to have the strap carrying or attaching disk 6, as it makes a stronger and better torpedo, and an efficient way of attaching the railengaging strap, I desire it to be understood that the generic improvement here disclosed is not dependent upon the use of this disk 6, as the disk 6 could be omitted and the railengaging strap attached to the case in some other way.

In making my improved case, I first construct a fiber or paper tube 8 of a convenient length and of a suitable material out of Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

which to construct the ring 1 of the torpedo I case. In practice, I use a tough fibrous paper of a dark red color, and find that it admirably and efiiciently serves the purpose. The ring 1 is cut from the tube 8, as shown by the transverse lines 9, and when so out an inwardly extending peripheral bur 10 is formed on opposite edges of the ring, for the purpose of forming supports for the top and bottom disks 2 and 8, and when the disk 6 is used, it forms an indirect support for the bottom disk 3, through the intervention of the disk 6. Therefore, one step of my method consists in forming the ring of the disk with inwardly extending peripheral burs or flanges at opposite edges, thereof, to form peripheral supports for the top and bottom disks of the case. The burs are formed on the rings by using a cutting tool (not shown) which will form this bur when the ring is cut from the tube 8.

The ring 1 of the torpedo is cut from a tube, as previously described, by a suitable tool and it is found in operation that this cutting tool will form an inwardly extend.-

ing bur on the ring, because the cutter ,only atem'porary support for the top and ripheries of the disks and the ring.

bottom disks 2 and 3 and to thereafter roll or spin the burs farther inward, as shown at 11, Fig. 8, thus increasing their holding strength and increasing the depth of the space at the junction of the turned in portion 11 and the disks 2 and 3 to receive a quantity of water-proof cement 12. Thiscement 12 serves to hold the disks in position and to make a watertight joint between the pe- When the strap attaching disk -6 is used, the ocment 12 is at the junction of the disk 6, and the turned in bur 11, as shown in Fig. 3, but with the disk 6 omitted, it will be readily understood that the cement 12 would then be directly in contact with the bottom disk 8 to perform the aforesaid function.

The widening of the burs by a rolling or spinning'action is readily caused in the ordinary way of flattening out the material by pressure. The manner of doing this is so well-known to those skilled in the art that a description is unnecessary.

Preferably, the explosive 4 is of tablet form and the disks and ring are preferably formed of water-proof fiber or paper, ,though of course, the completed torpedo may be dipped in a suitable water-proof solution if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. An improved torpedo comprising a case, having its side formed of a fibrous ring and its top and bottom formed of fibrous disks supported and cemented at the juncture of their, peripheries with the ring, an

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0.

the disks, and a water-proof cement at the juncture of the peripheries of the disks and the said burs, for the purpose described.

at. A railroad torpedo having a case, comprising a fibrous ring with inwardly ex- 1 tending flanges at its two edges, fibrous top and bottom disks within the ring and supported by said flanges, an explosive between the disks, and. water-proof cement at the junction of the peripheries of the disks and said flanges.

5. A railway signal-torpedo, comprising a case, having a fibrous ring with inwardly extending peripheral burs, upper and lower fibrous disksbetween said burs, an explosive between the disks, a third disk between the lower disk and said burs and carrying a rail-attaching member, a water-proof cement located at the junction of the disks and the said inwardly! extending peripheral burs.

6. The method of making a torpedo case consisting in cutting a ring from a fiber tube and forming inwardl porting top and bottom disks within the extending peripheral burs on opposite e ges of the ring, sup

ring upon the said burs and then extending the burs farther inward over the disks to increase their length and holding strength.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK BUTCHER.

Witnesses:

INEz T. TALDENJ L. L. BURKET. 

